


oh, how the ghost of you clings

by Sumi



Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Family Feels, Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:20:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28096800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sumi/pseuds/Sumi
Summary: Sometimes Aloy missed Rost more than she could stand.
Relationships: Aloy & GAIA (Horizon: Zero Dawn)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 19
Collections: Yuletide 2020





	oh, how the ghost of you clings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chasesstarlight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chasesstarlight/gifts).



Aloy came back to the cradle in the Sacred Mountain, tired to the bone. Every limb ached with the effort it took for her to return to the area she had claimed as her own. Once there, Aloy let out a soft sigh of relief.

“Welcome back, Aloy,” GAIA greeted over the systems. “How did your explorations go?”

“They could have gone better, but I found a few relics and recordings from the old worlds,” Aloy responded, voice barely above a whisper because of how exhausted she felt.

“Please inform me if you have questions. I will be more than pleased to expand on anything you may not understand.”

The corner of her mouth twitched, a hint of a smile appearing on her face. “Thanks, GAIA. I’ll check out the recording in the morning so stand by. I’ll probably have a question or too.”

She deposited her things on the floor and slowly removed her outerwear. Once comfortable, Aloy peeled back the thick fur covering her pallet and climbed in. Despite her exhaustion, sleep didn’t come easy to Aloy. Her mind refused to listen to the message her body was telling it.

When Aloy woke up in the morning, she felt somewhat rested. Instead of getting up, Aloy reached for her focus. She was pleased to see that the recording she recovered yesterday was restored.

_“Hey Babe, I hope you and the kiddo are safe. Tell her I loved the father’s day card she uploaded last week. I needed that laugh with all the shit we’re seeing on the battlefield every day. Talk to you soon.”_

The recording brought out a mix of feelings in Aloy. Confusion was the biggest one, followed by a good dose of sadness. GAIA could at least remedy her confusion.

“GAIA, could I ask you a question?”

“Of course, Aloy. What is your question?”

Aloy hesitated, trying to think of the best way to word it. “The man in the recording I was listening to mentioned father’s day. There’s an entire day dedicated to father’s?”

“That is correct, Aloy,” GAIA explained. “Father’s Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. There is also a similar one for mothers, children, and grandparents depending on what part of the world you were in.”

“Thanks, GAIA,” Aloy said as thoughts of Rost entered her mind.

Rost raised her, making sure she knew he was not her kin, but regardless of blood relation, he was the man that raised her. For all intents and purposes, Rost was Aloy’s father. His death still haunted her and there were times she would wake up in the middle of the night, crying out his name. 

No longer did the mere thought of Rost drive Aloy to experience an extreme feeling of guilt that caused her heart to constrict. It filled Aloy with sadness to think of him, but she could realize that she had played no part in Roth’s death. He had died protecting Aloy in order to make sure she survived.

“Aloy, may I ask how you are feeling? In the short time I’ve known you, you seem to be prone to introspective thought, as Elisabet often was, but even this silence seems unusual according to my records.”

It impressed Aloy with how well GAIA seemed to read her. She had only recovered a few weeks prior and was perceptive to people’s emotions. Of course, Aloy knew from the recordings of Elisabet that she behaved similarly. It filled her with both awe and bitterness. Awe at the similarities existing beyond their physical attributes and the bitterness for never meeting her.

“I was thinking about the man who raised me. His name was Rost. He raised me as his own despite us not being bound by blood.”

GAIA’s processors hummed almost thoughtfully, but Aloy assumed it had to be a trick of the ear.

“Before I implemented the Lightkeeper protocol, I spent many hours calculating the variables regarding your clan. After consideration, I was confident they would nurture you to adulthood,” GAIA explained. “However, I admit there were things I did not factor in; such as the beliefs the Nora held and the repercussions it might have for your future development.”

Aloy blinked. “GAIA, are you apologizing to me?”

For a moment there was nothing but silence. Aloy wondered if GAIA had experienced some kind of glitch or if she rendered the AI silent. That was a feat.

“From what I have gathered of what you experienced during your, it seems like the next logical step to offer my condolences.”

She sat up, furiously shaking her head in disbelief. “GAIA, you were doing what you had to do in order to ensure Elisabet’s legacy continued on even after you self-destructed. I won’t fault you for continuing to keep Earth safe.”

“Thank you, Aloy.”

After that, Aloy forced herself to get up and finally get dressed. She was going to be spending a few days in the Sacred Mountain, visiting with some old friends before setting out. There were still clusters of machines experiencing derangement. GAIA explained that these machines had been exposed to Hades’ malfunction for so long, that they still had symptoms.

The day was a blur for Aloy, but a pleasant one. Towards the end of the day, Aloy went for a walk. Somehow, she stood in front of the old house she shared with Rost. Aloy didn’t even know this was where she was walking until she spotted it in the distance.

It looked the same as the day she left the Nora under the new title Seeker. Aloy learned from Teersa that Teb had monitored the dwelling, often caring for the plants and making sure it was still in working order. She wasn’t surprised because it was very much like Teb to do such a thing.

Aloy eyed the campfire in front of the house and decided there was nothing wrong with sitting awhile in front of a crackling fire. It was something she and Roth had often done when she was small and restless in the later hours of the night.

Once the fire was roaring, Aloy scrolled through her focus until finding the Father’s day recording. She hesitated a moment before playing it for a second time.

_“Hey Babe, I hope you and the kiddo are safe. Tell her I loved the father’s day card she uploaded last week. I needed that laugh with all the shit we’re seeing on the battlefield every day. Talk to you soon.”_

If such a holiday still existed, Aloy would have liked to honor Rost for it. He was a good man, protecting her until his very last breath. She only wished for a chance to say goodbye.

Aloy sat in front of the campfire until the chill in the air got uncomfortable. She glanced back at the house and decided it was best to just to stay here for the night.

GAIA would understand. She always did.


End file.
